Complications 3-1

"Well kid, you did it!" Assault clapped me on the shoulder. "I'm honored you picked me as your mentor too. M&M thought for sure you were going to pick her after the whole meet and greet thing. Made a nice twenty bucks off her." He sounded especially pleased with himself.

"T-thanks." Oh man I needed to get my head in gear and stop stuttering every time I have a conversation with a Hero.

"Why did you pick me anyway?" He asked. "Nobody picks me. Except Clockblocker, but M&M didn't think that was a good idea and vetoed it."

I wonder why? Assault seemed like a genuinely good guy.

"All the Wards have a mentor?" I never saw this on PHO.

"Of course. Did you think the PRT sent kids out blind to be a Hero?"

I sure did. "I guess I never really thought about it."

"Few do." He looked me over. "So, come on, what made you pick me?" He gave me a grin no doubt looking for some kind of flattery.

"The truth? You apologized."

Assault sobered immediately. "Oh."

"It meant a lot."

"I'm glad I could help." His smile slowly returning. "What little I could." He clapped his hands together making me jump. "So first day."

I nodded.

"I don't really know what to do. I've never been a mentor before." His smile was wide and shameless. "They didn't give you a checklist or something did they?"

I shook my head. One half negative the other in disbelief. What had I done when I picked Assault?

But Assault was unfazed. "Ah, well luck for us we have plan B."

"Plan B?"

"Plan Battery." He waved for me to follow him. "She should be here to see Vista. Vista used to have M&M as a mentor but then we got Shadow Stalker and she's, ah, complicated. So Stalker got put with M&M and Battery stepped in with Vista. It's not that they can't double up. It's hard not to what with the Wards outnumbering the Protectorate heroes in most cities."

We got into an elevator and I had to suppress my discomfort as the doors closed. I reminded myself that I can teleport out if I had to.

I'm not trapped.

The walls aren't closing in.

I'm ok.

"You meet your teammates yet?"

I shrugged. "I met Aegis yesterday at the meeting."

"Oh yeah he was there, wasn't he? Well I know Vista for sure but we will have to check the roster and see who else is in today."

The elevator stopped and I may have exited a little faster than was necessary.

"Oookay, let's see who's in."

He pressed a button and a red light lit up over the door.

"Let's em know a guest is coming or that a tour is on the way." Assault said. "I used to just sit out here and press the button while I waited for Battery." He confided in a faux whisper. "She got real pissed at me for it too."

I imagine so.

The light turned green. "You'll like Battery and she'll definitely like you. You're all quiet and stuff she'll probably think you will be a good influence on me."

Or, more probably, that Assault will be a bad one for me.

"Oh Puppy!" Assault called loudly as we entered the room.

Room somehow didn't cover it. It was a large and vaguely dome shaped space. The walls and floor looked like it it could be moved and locked into place to create all sorts of configurations. I imagine someone like Escher would have had a field day in a place like this.

Which made the flat floor and symmetrical walls all the more uninspired.

"Puppy!" Assault called again.

"I heard you the first time!" Battery emerged from one of the partitioned rooms, fist clenched in what was clearly a threat to Assault.

"Now, now. Puppy no fighting in front of the kids." Assault teased.

From the set of Battery's jaw and sparkle in her eyes I knew that this must have been a complicated relationship on a different level than I could imagine.

A younger girl came out dressed in what I could only describe as a green dress fit with armored panels complete with the odd lines and squiggly pattern to break up the clean lines of her costume.

Vista.

PHO had her listed as the longest serving Ward in the Bay.

It showed in her hard distrusting gaze as she sized me up.

"Call me Puppy one more time and I'm going to bounce you off the walls and call it team building." Battery growled.

Assault sauntered up to Battery and threatened her with a hug. "Aw Puppy you wouldn't do that to me."

Battery grabbed one of Assaults arms and with not even a sign of effort, threw him across the space onto a couch knocking it over. She stalked after him.

"Don't worry." Vista stepped up next to me. "They're always like that." She stuck out her hand. "I'm Vista."

I shook hers, struck by just how small she was. "Willow Wisp. Wisp for short."

"Not Willow?"

I shook my head. "How long before that got shorted to Will?"

Vista laughed. "Around here? About five seconds." Gone was the serious Ward I had seen. In her place was just another young girl.

"Uncle! Uncle!" Assault cried. "Agh! Uncle!"

Battery stood up from where she had Assault pinned to the floor, satisfied smile on her face.

"The kids at it again?"

The new voice startled me.

"Dam- Darn it Clock don't do that!" Vista must have had the same reaction I did.

"Relax Vista."

To my surprise Clock blocker was wearing civilian clothes with the exception that he was wearing his costumed helmet.

"Hey," he stuck his hand out in greeting. "I'm Clockblocker."

I reached out to shake his hand. "Willow-"

...

...

...

"Wisp."

The hell? Where did he go-

Why was I surrounded!

"She's back." Assault announced. "Hey kid it's alright calm down."

I was breathing fast.

"I know it can be a bit disorienting but your okay. Take slow deep breaths." Assault coaches.

Vista was standing on my right. "I'm sorry. I should have warned you. I just didn't think he was stupid enough to try it.

"Are you okay?" Battery places a hand on my shoulder and damn it if I didn't flinch.

I guess I haven't quite gotten over the bullying.

"Ah, Sorry." She took her hand back as if unsure what to do with it now.

"What the hell happened?" My voice was a bit shaky.

"Clock froze you with his power, the dumbass."

"Vista." Battery chided.

Vista shrugged. "He is."

"You still look a bit shaky there kid." Assault ducked down a little so he could meet my eyes. "You alright?"

No. I was not alright.

"Y-Yeah. Just didn't really expect to be surrounded out of no where I guess." It was the truth. Just without the context.

Battery and Assault shared a look.

"Where is Clockblocker?" I asked.

"His room changing." Vista hooked a thumb at a row of doors. " We're scheduled for patrol soon but if you are here when we get back, I'll hold him down so you can kick him a few times."

"And you were worried I was going to be a bad influence on Wisp." Assault nudged Battery. "See what you're teaching her?"

Battery took a deep breath and let it out slowly, unable to retaliate without proving his point.

Assault beamed.

"That's okay." I gave Vista an appreciative smile, then felt like an idiot because it was hidden by my mask.

I considered taking it off.

"Right so while you were out, I talked with Battery here and found out what we were supposed to do today." Assault rubbed his hands together. "You have to complete your physical and mental tests."

Vista groaned. "I hate those."

Assault nodded. "They never give me candy anymore."

Battery swatted him on the shoulder.

"We better go and get you checked in."

We said our goodbyes and left the Wards section.

I really wasn't lookin forward to the elevator again.

"You want to talk about it?" Assault offered.

"About what?" I stalled.

"You were pretty freaked out, coming out of time lock like that." His words were blunt but his voice was kind. It was a little irritating yet endearing.

"I'm claustrophobic." I admitted. It wasn't the whole truth. But didn't someone say the best lies are made of the truth? Something like that I'm sure.

Assault noticeably glanced at the elevator. "We could take the emergency stairs."

I shook my head. "I can handle it. But if we get stuck I'm leaving you there."

"Fair enough. You sure you don't want to take the stairs? It would set of an alarm and spook the security guys." He grinned. "Probably be pretty funny."

Definitely a bad influence.

I shook my head again. "I think I've had enough practical jokes for the day."

Assault was amazingly silent on the subject. I guess I thought he would have a response for everything.

Or maybe he was simply being respectful.

We boarded the elevator and I tried to ignore the clenching of my gut as the doors closed. "What are the tests like?"

"Oh just like any physical really but with some basic endurance tests and fitness benchmarks. The Wards are required to meet a baseline of physical fitness."

"Like soldiers." I noted.

"Yyyeeeaahhh." Assault clearly was uncomfortable with the comparison. "But more like emergency services. The police academy has fitness requirements too."

The bell dinged and the doors opened back to the first floor. That was weird. Were we going to a hospital or a special office?

Assault answered without prompting. "That elevator only goes to the Wards base." He directed me to a set of double doors toward the back of the building. The PRT clinic is in the back on the first floor."

He lead me to a counter manned by a older woman with straight silver hair. Her uniform immaculate and decorated with a small smattering of medals.

"Sergeant Platt!" He greeted enthusiastically. "How are you!"

"Assault." Her smile was some how teasingly sarcastic. "Here to cause trouble again?"

Assault put a hand to his chest. "Me? Never."

The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Okaaayyy there was that one time with the foam sprayer." He admitted.

"You foamed an entire squad inside their truck." Sergeant Platt added. "At the end of their tour. They're still holding a grudge."

"I did say I was sorry."

"I'm sure it was such a comfort." She slid a clip board across the desk to him. "Who's the kid?"

Assault brightened. "She's the new Ward, and she picked me to be her mentor!"

Sergeant Platt looked me over. "God help you dear."

Assault rolled his eyes. "She's got her mental and physical today."

Platt raised her eyebrows. "Both in the same day?" She gave me a look. "You survive this dear you can join my squad anytime." She nodded at Assault. "Just don't bring him."

Mature as ever Assault stuck his tongue out in response. "Who's in today?"

Platt checked her computer. "Looks like Docs Yamada and Williams."

"Cool looks like you get the best of the best, Wisp."

"After dealing with you I would hope so." Platt deadpanned.

"Yeah yeah." Assault waved off her comment. "Come on Wisp lets get you checked in."

Platt gave me an encouraging smile as I passed her desk.

Assault stuck with me long enough to introduce me to Doctor Patricia Williams the Wards head physician.

I spent the next three hours getting poked and prodded while answering all kinds of questions. Before being allowed to redress in my costume or what passed for it, and being sent off to see Doctor Jessica Yamada.

"I see Doctor Williams have finally seen fit to release you."

I nodded. She seemed like a serious person on the outside. Shoulder length hair and dark eyes with features that only hinted at her ancestry.

"Why don't you have a seat and get comfy." She gestured to a pair of large fluffy looking chairs in front of her desk. "So first question before we get into it. What do you want me to call you?"

"What do you mean?"

She tapped a thin folder on her desk. "This is all I know about you and inside it are two names. Willow Wisp And Taylor Hebert. Which are you?"

"Both?"

"Really? Well then Both it's nice to meet you."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her lame joke. I took off my mask and raised my goggles up to my head, fishing my glasses case out of a pocket as I did. "Taylor Hebert."

Doc Yamada smiled warmly. "Hello Taylor. It's nice to meet the brave young woman who has decided to be a Hero."

"Thanks it's nice to meet you too?" I didn't mean for it to sound like a question but I've never been to see a therapist before so let's blame it on nerves.

Doc Yamada kept up the smile. "It's Okay to be nervous Taylor."

Good thing, cause I was.

"How about you tell me about yourself?" She leaned back into her chair. "It doesn't have to be anything important. You can talk about your favorite color or food. What's your favorite place in the city. Whatever you want."

"Is this what therapy is?" I asked her. "Just talking about nothing."

Doc Yamada laughed. "Your not here for therapy. Your here to establish a baseline mind set. I want to know you Taylor, so that if you ever need my help, that I can be able to give you that help."

I thought about it. "So, I just talk about anything?

"Sure, why don't we start with something easy., like why you want to be a Ward?"

I didn't want to be a Ward. "So I can help people."

"Anyone specific?" She asked.

Yes. "No. I just don't want to be the type of person that stands by and let's bad things happen."

"Why is that?"

"Why?" I rocked my head back. "How could I stand by and do nothing? How can any hero do nothing?"

"You seem to feel pretty strongly on the subject."

I thought about all the people who had stood by while the trio made my life hell. "I do."

"What do you think the reason is?"

"Exactly why I told you."

She smiled. "Yes but what is the reason for the reason?"

I didn't want to think about the locker let alone talk about it. I shook my head.

She must have had some idea because she changed the subject. "Ok something easier then. How has you time here with the PRT been?"

I shrugged. "It's fine. Assault is a good guy but he's the only one I've met before coming here so maybe that's me holding onto something familiar."

Doc Yamada raised an eyebrow. "Introspection from a teenager?"

I shrugged. "I've been alone for a while."

She wrote something down on her pad. "I want to talk about that a little."

"Why."

"Well, as you probably know by now parahumans get their powers from traumatic experiences."

"Trigger events."

She nodded. "I want to be sure I can equip you with the tools to handle your experience. To get ahead of any possibility of self harm or long term depression."

My wrist itched and I had to resist the urge to draw attention to it. "I would have thought Doctor Halsey would have reported on me already."

"Who?"

"Doctor Halsey." At her silence I continued. "She said she was a psychologist with the PRT."

Doc Yamada typed something into her computer.

"She came to see me in the Hospital after I woke up?"

"Taylor, the PRT doesn't have a Doctor named Halsey. Anywhere."

Then who the hell was Doctor Halsey?

Author's Note: Any guesses?

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